Hornblower and the Hotspur
Volume 3 in the Hornblower Saga
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4.5 • 211 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
April 1803. Here is Hornblower who, directly after his wedding ceremony, is ordered to take his ship, the HMS Hotspur, to observe the French coast, Channel ports, and around to the Bay of Biscay. This, his first command as Master and Commander, gives ample opportunity to help thwart the ambitions of Napoleon, who is building ships and amassing supplies for an attempt to cross the Channel and invade England. At 27, Hornblower has already had adventures which have brought him praise and notice. And with the Hotspur his exploits tumble one after the other. Reconnaissance, daring shore raids, cutting out expeditions and skillful navigating in treacherous tidal waters bring the reality of the blockade to the fore.
And all the while the introspective and lonely Hornblower worries about his relationship with his wife and mother-in-law — in stark contrast to his sureness when carrying out his objectives to annoy the French and bring destruction to their military plans.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
MacNee (The Avengers and A View to a Kill) is a superb choice to read this ripping yarn the third in Forester's expert and exciting series about a young naval officer who rises rapidly through the ranks to become one of England's heroes in the battles against Napoleon's huge fleet of fast and formidably armed frigates. MacNee is perfect as the young Horatio Hornblower, who listeners meet on his wedding day in 1803. The couple's romance succumbs to history as the dastardly French prepare to attack. With the possible exception of Patrick O'Brian, nobody else writes about sea battles with the perfect control of Forester, and MacNee uses all his acting skills to keep the action moving. A few sound effects might have been in order during the fighting scenes, but one can't have everything. A Back Bay paperback.
Customer Reviews
Aargh!
5 years in the Navy, and this book makes you taste the salt. It explains how things worked while telling a great story based in history. It really doesn’t get much better.
Hotspir
Another fine sea yarn by this author. Five stars all the way.